These were highly stimulating years, working on cutting-edge urban issues framed historically but in the context of the radically explosive civil rights and Vietnam eras. One experience summarizes it. The pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Woodlawn, Rev. John Fry, had become famous nationally, because the FBI had raided his church when they heard John had negotiated a gang truce involving the Blackstone Rangers and had their guns stored in the church safe.In the wild late sixties, you could not imagine a more admired pastor on our campus-a classic Princeton Seminary grad, former Marine, now...

Note:Great advice for us 'creative pastor' types...If you can't tell me where the church has been, you have no business telling me where it should go.

When it comes to leaders receiving helpful feedback specifically about their own performance, the problem worsens. It may take a small act of courage to confront the boss with bad news about the company, but you have to be even braver to let the boss know he’s out of touch with how people are feeling, or that his “inspiring” talks fall flat.

Note:Is your leader out of touch? Try this (carefully) and let me know how this works for you.